THE BATTLE AX REMNENT 3

rick had borrowed the office of the auction owner and was calling texas. he had been right jason wouldnt share the battle ax owners phone number but the friendly brand inspecter had tracked it down . rick was setting deep in the leather desk chair listening to the line ring on the other end.finally a sweet , sugary female voice answered the call" SHADRACK OIL" " mr. shadrack please." rick was as polite as possible. "whats this concerning sir?"the syrupy voice asked. " the battle ax ranch in arizona" rick answered almost instantly a deep voice cut in" this is leo shadrack what about the battle ax" rick slowley explained the situation at the battle ax. and he thought it best to call before working another mans country. "that cow trader called last week, he didnt ask he just told me he was haveing the ranch gathered. are you the man he has contracted to do it?"leo was right to the point. " i havent signed a contract yet. theres a few things that need to be addressed first. do you want ALL the cattle off that place?" rick came down hard on the word all. "when i bought that out fit it was a bargin i thought it a good place to hide some money. i hired four west texas cowboys to go ride it out and gather any remnent there. they stayed over night and came home. yes i want the ranch cleanned up. i have never laid eyes on it but ime finding out why it was such a bargin."leo explained. " can you provide me with a map showing the deeded land and the public lands. if its like i think it is i think i can help the ranch a bunch with your permission.that cholla thicket is a big part of the problem" rick asked. " tell me your proposal for gathering the cattle and how much it will cost me. then we will talk a little on improvements." leo got serious quick. "ill clean the ranch of all cattle jason is paying for the gather of the steers that strayed there. any thing over that i will split 50/50 with you. if you have a arizona brand ill brand them for you and try to manage the affair fairly. nothing will leave the ranch with out inspection by a state brand inspector if the cattle cannot be sold immediatly i can hold them at my ranch until the brands peeled. i would only want actual feed cost on that."rick laid it out. ill want permision to camp at the coorrals at the battle ax for as long as it takes." the phone line was quiet for a count of 20" ok send me a contract. adel will give you a fax number before we hang up. i dont want that steer pirate knowing what we are doing. any problems there?" leo answered. then adele came on the line and told him the fax number. rick had already had a contract drawen up and asked the secretary in the sale barn to fax it to leos number. in a few minutes it came back, signed by leo shadrack. folding the contact he put it in a manilla folder and thanked the secretary in the sale barn and went out the door, only to run face on to jason. he handed his signed contract to rick. " just call me when you got a truck load. ive sent a half load of hay to the battle ax. any thing else?" jason asked with a bit of a attitude. " nothing else, we will move in by the end of the week, when i need a truck ill call you."rick went around jason and went to his truck, putting the contact in the folder with the first one. " wonder what ime getting my self into this time" he said under his breath.